Michael Paul Wineski was born July 19, 1970, into a musical family in Detroit, Michigan. The youngest of eight children, his father and oldest brother, Larry, played piano, his brother Robert played guitar and brother Joseph played bass guitar. Michael's first instrument was a drum set at age six. When Mike was nine Larry began teaching him to play the piano. Larry's piano teacher, Richard Renock, took over the reins when Mike was eleven and he studied with Mr. Renock until he was fifteen. During his time with Mr. Renock, Michael volunteered to play piano for the youth group of a local Catholic Church.

At age fifteen Michael began playing in his brother Robert's wedding band, "Invitation Only" and changed piano teachers. Michael's uncle, Edward Wineski graduated from Detroit Conservatory of Music with a degree in Music Composition. Uncle Edward took over training Michael on the piano. These lessons continued until age twenty-six. Although Edward was a composer, Michael never took composition lessons from him.

At seventeen Michael began in the auto industry, detailing parts for automobile frames working as a draftsman.

When Michael was eighteen, he started his own band, "Legal Tender" with high school friend Danielle Lemanski and continued playing in "Invitation Only". "Legal Tender's" repertoire included original works and cover tunes. It played mostly house parties but was an outlet for Michael's compositions and growing musical energies.

In 1993, suffering from severe depression, Michael had a nervous breakdown. "Invitation Only" disbanded and his occupation as a draftsman was taking its toll. He wanted to make music his life. This was a turning point which Michael met head on. That same year, Michael enrolled in Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. at the age of twenty-three and began working only part-time as a draftsman.

A year later in 1994, Michael started another band, "Sound Chaser". With his brother Joseph on bass and friends Brian and Phil on drums and guitar respectively, they played strictly original compositions. In addition to a few bar gigs, they recorded a couple albums in a home recording studio Mike built himself.

While at Wayne State, Michael seriously contemplated changing majors from music to recording and engineering. Confused, he dropped out after just two semesters, purchased a home with his brother Joe and increased his working hours as a draftsman to full time again. Two years later after suffering another bout with depression, Michael returned to Wayne State, this time committed to continue his music studies.

In 1997 at age twenty-six, Michael transferred to University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He declared a major in Music Composition and began studying under Maestro Virko Baley. That same year, Michael began working at a local Pentecostal Church, Trinity Life Center, as the Assistant Music Director where he writes, arranges music and plays the piano for the band to this day. In 1998 Michael began working as the accompanist for the Palo Verde High School Choir as an additional music outlet for his expanding interests.

As a part of his studies, in 2000 Michael joined the "new music" ensemble Nextet, being formed by flutist Cathie Apple, a graduate student at UNLV. He has been an active performer in Nextet since its inception, even traveling to perform with the ensemble at the 2001 "Fringe Festival" in Edinburgh, Scotland. In addition to his personal performances, many of Michael's original compositions have been premiered or performed by Nextet.

In 2001, Cathie Apple left Nextet. Michael took his place as Assistant Director of Nextet along side its new director, his advisor, Maestro Baley. He arranges concerts, runs rehearsals, prepares facilities, advertises functions, writes programs and provides technical support.

2001 also brought other new opportunities. Michael began working for a production company, "TNC Recordings" owned by Virko Baley. TNC is an independent recording label of jazz and classical music. He assists with the day-to-day operations of sales, promotion, inventory and maintenance of TNC's website. This same year, Michael began working with the Palo Verde High School Choir as a part time instructor while continuing as their accompanist.

Michael Wineski's compositions have been played all over the world. In 2002 Michael accompanied Palo Verde High School Choir, under the direction of Lesa Ramirez, to London and Paris where they performed his original composition "Puer Natus est Nobis" in the cathedral of Notre Dame at Easter. The world premier of Michael's first orchestral composition "for Lindsey" was at the International Ukrainian Music Festival in Kyiv, under the direction of Maestro George Stelluto in February 2003. Maestro Stelluto conducted its United States premier in April the same year at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In 2004 Michael traveled once again with the Palo Verde Choir which performed two of Michael's new choral pieces, "Sanctus" and "Crucifixus" in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy. The same two pieces were performed by Michael and Palo Verde in San Marco Cathedral in Venice for an Easter celebration that was televised throughout Italy.

At UNLV, Michael's piano teachers include Carol Stivers, Barbara Riske and Virko Baley. In 2001 Michael achieved his Bachelors of Music in Music Composition and immediately began working on his Masters of Music Degree in Music Composition and Theory with Baley as his advisor. In the spring of 2005 Michael will complete his Masters of Music Degree and graduate from UNLV.

Michael Wineski continues his work for Trinity Life Center's Band, the Palo Verde High School Choir and TNC Recordings as he begins to publish his own compositions through his company "MPW muzyka". It is his hope that his company will be able to help young composers achieve their goals in the field of classical music.